Overwhelming
by kohana28
Summary: What matters now is this person, dragging him with a firm grip in her hands, to the right direction. NatsuKan


**Overwhelming**

By: kohana28

A/N: A bit of spoilers ahead.

**..::(-)::..**

'It has been 3 years now…' A ruby eyed boy thought, his back against the hard bark of the tree as he held his manga in his rough hands. The wind blew gently, whispering softly in his pierced ear as some of his raven locks was lifted by the passing breeze.

Natsume was at that position again, the usual place he went and the stance he took whenever he felt he needed to think some things over, or just to reminisce his past, as he was doing right now.

Indeed, it has been three years now since he, along with the rest of his classmates, had been those innocent ten year olds, well some of them anyway. He could barely remember a time when he had been _innocent_ at all.

They are all pretty grown up now although, in this kind of academy, age _rarely_ matters as they were all taught to be independent, to be able to stand on their own two feet.

It was a harsh rule, especially for a normal kid who just got separated from his parents, suddenly finding himself alone in the world. But then again, they were not _normal_ per se; they were _never treated_ as one normal child.

'_Especially **me**…'_

The powers that they all possessed made them somehow different than the rest of the people and therefore they were placed in this so-called academy. It was hard for all of them, but then _she_ came along.

She served as a somewhat disturbance to the walls they had built around themselves. She showed them her ridiculous optimism and pure innocence (to the point of ignorance, he thought) that amused others while unnerved some. Or maybe it was only _him_.

It was frightening at first. The way she laughed, then cried, then forgets and laughs again; and over so little things too. He remembered the day when she challenged _him_…imagine, _him? _

'It was that stupid Dodge ball game.' He thought reminiscently as a smirk flitted across his face remembering how she thanked him after losing in her _own_ stupid game.

It was odd, he had decided then, and more importantly it annoyed him. Because if one loses, one could hardly smile, all the more _thank_ her opponent for a wonderful game. It was impossible, and for him people who does things like that just had to by _lying._

'_She even had the guts to say that she won all along, considering that everyone had a good time playing.'_

He didn't know back then, what made him so uncomfortable, hearing her say all those things to him, and smiling so happily as if she just won, which in fact, he may add again, _she did not._

And he did not know too, what even made _him_ to participate in such trivial thing. He always has prided himself after all, to be above such matters. But then, he found himself joining anyway.

Maybe it was to prove _something_, to him or to her, he did not know. Just something such as even if she smiles ever so carelessly, and has that look on her face, a picture of wonder in the world that only a child could have, she can frown too. That she will be brought down once she realizes that she now lives the real world, not in a fantasy one.

Even the reason why he wanted to bring down the girl so badly then, was unknown. It was just irritating him, the way she acts. The way she brightens up at the slightest possibility of wining or over other unimportant things.

That had been the start of it all, his pride's downfall.

Natsume closed his eyes as he laid the manga he was holding and staring at a while ago in his lap. He listened to the serene sounds that nature was making. A distant song of a bird, the gentle flutter of the golden leaves fallen from the tree, the sway of its branches.

He had tried, so many times in the past, to see her angry or frustrated or hopeless, but not sad. She has always been too emotional, he mused to himself She has always have been open in her feelings.

From that particular experience along many others, he had obtained vital information: he learned that Sakura Mikan, a no-star student at Alice Academy was indeed a special girl in her own willful ways, as quoted by Ruka himself.

It took him some time to realize this fact, quite a few years to be exact. And he should have known it all along too, when he first noticed his best friend blushing and stuttering around her. After all, even if he did not undergo such embarrassing things (he was far more controlled in his emotions) he knew that at one point in time, he had fallen along with Ruka and everyone else for that matter, too.

Only he might have been too proud (he had grudgingly admitted to himself) to realize or even admit it to himself.

Admittedly, he did find that he had a certain soft spot for the said girl, which he always tried to conceal and desperately put away. Like that one time when she was crying so loudly, practically bawling her eyes out just because she wasn't able to eat her favorite fluff puffs…wasn't he the one who went all the way to Central Town to just secretly drop it off in front of her room?

He had reasoned then to himself that her bawls and desperate cries reached his room and other people's too and it was far too unpleasant to sleep with that as it hardly resembled a lullaby.

But she thanked him anyway, with a that stupid bright smile and shining eyes that made his best friend, who was beside him at that time, flush and look at him questioningly.

His first reaction was surprise shown clearly in his widened ruby eyes which lasted for about a fraction of second before returning to his internal composure and blocking it with his icy coldness.

"What are you talking about, strawberries print girl?" He said clearly and unfazed at the fact that the whole class were now watching the scene with interest, among of them a certain raven haired girl was smirking, which no on else saw but him. He noticed Mikan even let his comment on her underwear today slide as she continued to smile at him, although he did found a certain spark in her hazel eyes and a slight crinkle in her forehead. He was torn between feeling amused and bemused.

'Damned culprit confirmed.' He thought as he glared at the inventive witch (a nickname he personally call her) which seemed to amuse her even more. Meanwhile, Mikan just smiled knowingly once more and went back to her seat, chattering away as if nothing unusual happened. The rest of the class just shrugged and returned to their businesses or whatever they were doing.

"What was that about Natsume?" Ruka asked his broody best friend, petting the white rabbit on his lap absentmindedly. Natsume just continued to read his manga unconcernedly and without even looking up he answered, "I don't know."

Yes, he remembered it clearly as well as the discomfort he felt when he saw her tears or heard her cries. Even though it was just over a simple thing, he couldn't help but feel a little bit unnerved by it anyway.

And there was this one time too, when she and Sumire had followed him when he was kidnapped by that Anti-Alice Organization member Reo, and tried to save him.

He also remembered how angry he felt back then. Not to mention a whole lot of other emotions to go with it.

First, he was confused at to why they were beside him, tied and apparently woke up before him after being knocked unconscious. When he heard their story, he felt helpless, he was tired and injured, he couldn't use his Alice properly and the fact that the place was surrounded by some kind of a barrier which made the whole ordeal even harder. Then he tried, with his hardest, to save them, to save her.

He was almost ready to sacrifice his own life just so as to save them both. If that was the only way...and yet she surprised him as always, returning when he had not wanted her to, in an effort to _save him_.

He felt the frustrations he had a while ago turned into anger towards her, for being so stupid and risking her own life just to save him; he felt worried too, because if they were caught, he wasn't so sure he could help her this time; and lastly, he felt ridiculously happy, and a surge of hope burst through him. He was happy that she came back just for him and he apparently appreciated the deed, no matter how frustrated he was at the time, deep, deep, down. Although, he reminded himself lightly, it was what she would have done with other people anyway, that's how she was.

The ruby-eyed lad sighed again, as he pictured her pained face when some unknown bastard had pushed her to the wall. His hands unconsciously clenched as the pages of his manga creased awfully under his tightening grip.

It was only after a few moments when he realized he was practically crushing the poor material in his vise like grip that he stopped at once and tried to flatten it. He just bought it too, so he felt slightly annoyed with himself.

These days though, he thought he's been having a rather disturbing emotion whenever he saw Mikan with that 'sempai' of hers. His brows furrowed as he remembered the bastard, Tsubasa Andou according to her, whom she met in her Special Ability class. She seemed so fond of him too.

And he guessed that what irked him the most: her being _fond_ of him and apparently him being _fond_ of her too.

He overheard the bubbly girl talking to her friends the other day about the first sempai she ever had and happily inviting them to come and meet the said person. He had paid no mind to that fact then, tossing it aside as one of world's unimportant things, although deep inside, he knew he was fooling himself too. She even invited Ruka to come along though the said person declined, he couldn't help but feel a little, hurt.

How come he wasn't invited anyway?

Anyway, that's where it started, the whole my-first-ever-sempai thing to that damned-_lolita_-lover-Andou-shadow-freak. Or rather, that whole thing may have started when he had bumped into her while he was hiding from Persona and consequently left her with three older bullies.

Seriously, he thought they were going to leave her alone once he had threatened them and besides, _his reputation_ was at stake. Now, he couldn't have that could he?

He knew, from other sources of source that he, the shadow-freak he meant, had apparently saved her then and took her to the Special abilities classroom.

'Che. I could have easily done that too.' He thought bitterly. If Persona wasn't really on his heels that moment, he could have roasted the three bullies alive right then and there.

And that was not all of it. That Andou (shadow-freak) was always, _always_ hugging Mikan or letting her sit on his lap or on his shoulders. It was disgusting, seeing them together. And what's more, that _silly_ _little girl_ seemed to be enjoying herself too.

He'll get that stupid senpai any time of the day.

"Natsume!! Natsume!!" A voice brought him back to his senses and out of his daydream on how to make him feel the most pain he so deserved, at least according to him.

"What do you want, strawberries print?" He looked up and saw her flop down beside him as soon as she reached the dangerous ability type to catch her breath. She was apparently in a rush and ran all the way to him.

"I told you, "She gasped for air, her cheeks flaming in anger "not to call me that!" She replied in absolute indignation. Natsume just looked at her amusedly and waited until she has calmed herself down. It was time for another strike.

"What? Were you wearing fruity prints today? I'm sorry, you didn't tell me, fruity prints girl." His sentences achieved its desired effect; to see her go red again with her eyes shining in anger as she tried to control her flaring temper.

"Never mind! You can't get anything from talking to an idiot anyway." She said, more to herself than him.

"So, what are you doing here?" This time, his tone was mixed with curiosity. He really did want to find out what made her run all the way here just to tell him something.

'It must be really important.' He thought, closing his manga that lay on his lap and focusing all his attention to the whining girl before him. The anger that she felt a while ago suddenly vanished as she smiled her usual sunny smile again. Natsume was almost taken aback by the speed of her mood change. It was a bit scary to see.

'Ah, that's right. I'm here to take you to our newest RPG Game! The theme is fairytales!" And sure enough, now that she mentioned it, she was indeed dressed up as a princess true to their theme.

Mikan had her hair let down with the curly brown ends of her hair reaching past her shoulders. A sparkly tiara was set on her head which matched the sleeveless pink gown she was wearing. It was quite simple, with beadworks running along the edges of her skirt up to the bodice, shining against the light of the sun. He thought she looked like a real princess.

So, who's going to be her prince then?

A smirk graced his lips as Mikan looked at him in confusion. "Anyway, let's go now, Natsume!" She said as she stood up and held her hand to him. Natsume looked at the outstretched hand in front of his face for a moment before taking it and standing up.

Mikan smiled at him once again and pulled his hand as she proceeded to drag him towards their destination. He thought it looked a bit weird (the princess dragging her _prince_, wasn't it supposed to be the other way around?), and he was as sure as heck, it felt weird too.

A warm, bubbly, weird feeling inside him, waiting to burst out of his chest, and as he looked at their interlinked hands, he can't help but let a faint smile on his lips. He couldn't exactly comprehend what was this foreign feeling but it doesn't matter now or anything for that matter.

All that matters is this person, who makes him feel these wonderful new emotions dragging him with a firm grip in her hands to the right direction.

Owari

A/N: Thanks for reading! R & R


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